[Amended 5-11-2009 ATM by Art. 31, approved 5-13-2010 Annual Town Election; 1-10-2013 by Chapter 457, Acts of 2012; 5-11-2015 ATM by Art. 26, approved 5-12-2016 Annual Town Election]
(a) 
Method of Organization — Town Departments. The organization of town government into operating departments for the provision of services and the administration of government shall be the responsibility of the town manager. Subject only to the express prohibitions in the laws of the commonwealth or the provisions of this charter, the town manager may by administrative order reorganize, consolidate, create, merge, divide or abolish any town department or office, in whole or in part, establish such new town departments or offices as the town manager deems necessary or advisable, and prescribe the functions and the administrative procedures to be followed by all such departments or offices.
[Amended 1-13-2021 by Chapter 344, Acts of 2020]
At a minimum, the town manager shall provide for the following governmental functions:
(i) administrative and finance; (ii) law enforcement; (iii) fire protection and rescue services; (iv) operation and maintenance of the town's roads, parks, buildings and other facilities; (v) management and protection of coastal resources; (vi) town planning and enforcement of zoning and building codes; (vii) enforcement of health and environmental regulations; and (viii) operation of the water and sewer systems.
Administrative orders made by the town manager shall become effective on the thirtieth (30) day following the day on which notice of the proposed administrative order is filed with the select board and the office of the town clerk unless the select board shall, within such period, by majority vote of the select board, vote to reject such administrative order or has earlier voted to affirm it. For the convenience of the public, copies of administrative orders and votes of the select board establishing the nature of the town organization and any amendments thereto shall be available from the office of the town manager and the office of the town clerk and posted electronically and via other means that allow access by the public.
(b) 
Method of Organization — Town Boards, Commissions or Committees
[Amended 1-13-2021 by Chapter 344, Acts of 2020]
Unless otherwise provided by this charter, the establishment and organization of boards, commissions or committees shall be the responsibility of the select board. Subject only to the express prohibitions of the laws of the commonwealth or the provisions of this charter, the select board may by vote prescribe the term of office, reorganize, consolidate, create, merge, divide or abolish any town board, commission or committee, in whole or in part, establish such new board, commission or committee as deemed necessary or advisable, and prescribe the functions, purpose and responsibilities of such boards, commissions or committees. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the town meeting from authorizing the appointment of one or more committees. Votes of Town Meeting which authorize the formation of such committees shall state the charge, composition and town agency to be the appointing authority, if it is not the select board. The tenure of any such committee shall continue under its charge and until abolition by or change by a subsequent town meeting.
(c) 
Failure to Fill Vacancies — Town Boards, Commissions or Committees
Should the appointing authority fail to fill a vacancy on a board, commission, or committee within 60 days of having been notified in writing by the town clerk of said vacancy, a majority of the remaining members of the board, commission, or committee may nominate a person for each such vacancy. Should the appointing authority fail to take action on said nomination within twenty-one (21) days, the nominee shall become a member of said board, commission or committee.
(d) 
Report of Activities
[Amended 1-13-2021 by Chapter 344, Acts of 2020]
All boards, committees or commissions shall annually, on a date determined by the select board, submit a report of activities, achievements and other information to the select board.
[Amended 1-10-2013 by Chapter 457, Acts of 2012; 5-11-2015 ATM by Art. 26, approved 5-12-2016 Annual Town Election; 1-13-2021 by Chapter 344, Acts of 2020]
Annually, the select board shall consider the administrative and practical needs of all town boards, commissions and committees under the jurisdiction of the select board. During the course of such consideration, the select board shall review whether each board, commission or committee has a defined purpose or functions or if there is another possible method of achieving the mission of the board, commission or committee. If the select board determines that any board, commission or committee does not appear to serve a purpose or that another method of achieving the board, commission or committee's mission is desirable, the select board shall hold a public hearing and take any action deemed necessary.
[Added 5-11-2009 ATM by Art. 31, approved 5-13-2010 Annual Town Election; amended 1-10-2013 by Chapter 457, Acts of 2012; 1-13-2021 by Chapter 344, Acts of 2020]
Subject to the approval of the select board, the town manager shall adopt rules and regulations establishing a personnel system. The adoption of rules and regulations shall be subject to a public hearing. The personnel system shall make use of modern concepts of personnel management and shall include at least the following elements:
- a method of administration;
- personnel policies indicating the rights, obligations and benefits of employees;
- a classification plan;
- a compensation plan;
- a method of recruiting and selecting employees based on merit;
- a centralized record keeping system;
- disciplinary and grievance procedures;
- a written performance evaluation system for all full-time year-round employees;
- a professional development, and training program; and other elements that are deemed necessary.
All town agencies and positions shall be subject to the rules and regulations adopted under this section excluding employees of the school department and employees covered by collective bargaining agreement. The personnel rules and regulations shall not apply to the position of town manager.
The select board may appoint a 3-member personnel committee which shall serve in an advisory capacity to the town manager. One member of the personnel committee shall be a town employee who is subject to the personnel rules and regulations. That member shall be appointed by the select board upon a majority vote of the non-union employees who are subject to the personnel rules and regulations. The remaining 2 members shall have training background and education in human resource issues.